Interestingly, when Bo (Xilai) was mayor of the large coastal city of Dalian in northeast China from 1992 to 2000, he was lauded for transforming the port city into a clean, modern metropolis and financial hub, and even received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour award in 1999 for his accomplishments in urban planning. When he took office as Chongqing’s leader in 2007, the municipality’s geography granted him the advantage of distance from the central government, but may have ultimately proven to be a disadvantage – when grafted on to the rough terrains of this manufacturing base, Bo’s hard-nosed urban policies did not flourish as they had in the calm seaside city of Dalian.
That Bo’s extravagant, albeit arguably well intentioned, projects were carried out in part to promote his cult of personality may have come at the cost of providing true value to the citizens for whom they were intended. Without Bo, Chongqing continues to push forward. The ousted leader built elaborate monuments to his outsized ambition during his reign; although he has been dethroned, Chongqing is not in ruins.
Pictures and text from Architezer News. Judge for yourself and read the full article:
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